


let the brokenness be felt

by afire



Series: atlas [1]
Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F, Hogwarts AU, a bit of angst but also lots of fluff they even each other out, but also just all four of them backstory, character study of sorts, hope & pen backstory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-05-12 21:26:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19237408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afire/pseuds/afire
Summary: Hope meets Penelope, and then they meet the twins.(or: a little backstory for our four favourite girls)





	1. we found our way back home

Hope only slides the compartment door open because, at first glance, the carriage had seemed empty. She’s very quickly proven wrong when she spots the girl lounging in the corner, looking altogether too bored for the world, as if its mere existence is an inconvenience to her.

For a second, Hope hesitates, then decides to walk in anyway, because all the other compartments she’d seen had been full. At least in this one, there’s a chance at some peace and quiet.

Penelope Park does not look up when Hope takes a seat opposite her, simply turning a page in the book she’s reading.

Hope knows very little about the other girl, which is a surprise, considering they had pretty much grown up together. First-born daughters of powerful pureblood families, they had been thrown together in the way all busy parents throw their children, on the assumption that they’ll get along simply because they’re the same age.

Penelope had been cordial, polite, and aloof, speaking when spoken to, but never revealing too much about herself. From what Hope remembers, she had always been more interested in the Mikaelson library, rather than the Mikaelsons themselves.

Still, there’s something to be said about the fact that she’s managed to secure a compartment all to herself. Hope doesn’t keep up with common gossip, but even she’s heard enough to know why no one had dared to intrude on Penelope’s space.

That isn’t to say Hope herself doesn’t understand what it’s like to be under constant scrutiny, what with everything that had happened with her father. She prefers not to think about it, but the whispers follow anyway, talk of the dark wizard who had gone mad trying to take over the world, than died sacrificing himself to save his daughter when she got caught in the crossfire.

Hope knows people are afraid of her, knows that her father had been responsible for many, many deaths, and that she’s probably never going to be able to escape the stigma that comes with her last name. But, and this is a selfish thought, at least she isn’t the only one.

Because she’s heard whispers about Penelope as well, about how she had been performing deliberate wandless magic even before getting her Hogwarts letter. Hope knows the Parks are powerful, but she also knows their oldest daughter has exhibited prowess far beyond her age, and that’s always cause for caution.

Nevertheless, it is a comforting thing to know, that people are just as afraid of Penelope Park as they are of Hope Mikaelson.

 

**✧**

 

The first half of the train ride is spent in complete silence. Penelope continues reading her book and Hope simply stares out the window, counting cows as they whiz past.

At quarter past noon, the door slides open noisily, and they both look up, wearing matching impassive expressions.

The lady, to her credit, doesn’t seem intimidated at all.

“Lunchtime, girls! Anything from the trolley?”

“Chocolate frog, please.”

Both voices ring out at the same time, and Hope turns to Penelope to see the other girl raise a single eyebrow in vague amusement.

They both fork over money for the snacks, then Hope makes a split second decision to get a flask of pumpkin juice for them to share, because if she’s going to be at Hogwarts with Penelope for seven years, then they may as well be on civil terms.

Once the lady leaves, and after the noisy clatter of the trolley has faded, Penelope catches Hope’s attention by throwing an empty Chocolate Frog box at her head.

“Thanks for the pumpkin juice, Mikaelson."

Hope, who had ducked to avoid the projectile, allows herself a wry grin. "No problem, Park."

The conversation stalls there, and for a minute or two, they descend into silence again, but then Penelope is kicking out at Hope's leg, presumably demanding her attention.

"Who'd you get?"

When Hope looks up, Penelope is holding up her Chocolate Frog card, waving it through the air.

"Uh, hold on." Hope pulls her own card out of the box, tapping it against her palm so that whoever it is wanders back into the frame. "Oh, it's Merlin."

"Boring, I've got twelve of him already."

"Damn, I only have ten."

Penelope smirks at her, but it's not sharp enough to be dangerous, and all Hope does is grin back, showing her teeth.

"Hey, is it true that you're descended from him? Merlin, I mean."

"Who knows?" Penelope shrugs, seemingly entirely unbothered by whether or not she's related to arguably the most powerful wizard who ever lived. "If that's what people want to say, then they can say it."

The words fall nonchalantly, but there's something so cruel about the way Penelope says them, about the way they twist through the air. Hope suddenly feels like she's sitting in an interrogation room, being questioned for a murder she hasn't committed but will inevitably confess to once they’ve put her through enough hurt.

For a moment, she understands why people talk about Penelope Park, why they're so terribly afraid of her.

But then the feeling passes, and the way Penelope pulls back into herself, as if she's sorry for the non-outburst, is so awfully familiar that Hope has the sudden inexplicable urge to take the other girl in her arms and tell her that everything is going to be okay.

Before she has time to decide whether or not she's actually going do it, Penelope seems to recover.

"Ready to be the centre of attention, Mikaelson?"

Hope frowns, crosses her arms as she leans back in her seat. "It's going to happen anyway, doesn't matter if I'm ready."

"Bet you five galleons that something happens that'll make everyone forget about you for at least twenty-four hours."

"A whole day? That seems like a stretch."

Penelope just extends a hand, as if she knows Hope won't back down from a challenge.

She's right. Hope takes her hand and shakes it once. "Deal."

Something in Penelope's answering grin tells Hope that she's already lost.

 

**✧**

 

Once the train pulls into the station, they're greeted by Hagrid, who says hello in his loud booming voice, then waves them in the direction of the boats.

Hope doesn't know if it's a conscious decision, but she stays together with Penelope, wordlessly clambering into one of the boats after her.

They're joined by two boys, who look scared out of their minds at the prospect of an entire boat ride with the two of them. Hope chances a glance at Penelope, but the other girl doesn't seem to notice, or care, simply continuing to stare out over the water.

It's ten minutes of almost-tension and trying to see if she can spot the Giant Squid before Hope starts getting bored. She leans back and kicks out a foot, which makes contact with Penelope's shin, causing the other girl to look up.

The two boys look like they're seriously considering jumping into the water to avoid the resulting confrontation, but all Penelope does is roll her eyes and kick back.

"Not going to hex me, Park?"

"You're not worth the effort."

Hope gasps, hand flying to her chest in faux surprise. "Are you actually passing up the chance to jinx me?"

Penelope gives her a look, a mixture of annoyance and mirth, before moving her hand in a sweeping motion across her body.

A splash of water jumps up from the lake to land in Hope's lap, and Hope herself yells in surprise, eyes wide as she jumps backward, almost upsetting the whole boat.

"Careful there, Mikaelson. Wouldn't be very nice to get sorted while dripping wet, would it?"

When Hope looks back up, Penelope isn't even bothering to hide the giant grin that's stretching across her face.

"You're an asshole," Hope says flatly, sweeping at her robes with her hands in an attempt to dry them.

"Oh, did you just figure that out?" Penelope laughs, but she waves her hand again, and Hope's robes flutter for a second before settling back over her legs, now dry and warm.

Before Hope can mutter her thanks, their boat bumps into the shore, and the two boys, who had fearfully watched their entire exchange, waste no time in vaulting themselves out and running over to join the growing crowd in front of the castle.

Hope watches them go, wondering if this will spark more rumours around the school before they even sit down to get sorted.

"You think we scared them?" Penelope asks, after she's climbed gracefully from the boat, seemingly unfazed by their entire situation.

"Who cares?" Hope shrugs as she fumbles to her feet, almost falling on her face before making it safely onto the shore. "If you're right, something else will happen and they'll stop talking about me for a while."

Penelope's eyes seem to sparkle in the moonlight as she reaches out a hand to drag Hope further up the shore, probably to stop her from accidentally falling into the water. "I'm always right," she says. "Just wait."

Hope rolls her eyes, but she doesn't let go of Penelope's hand, just uses it as leverage to pull the both of them toward the crowd. "Let's go, then. I want to know what the special thing is going to be."

"You have to be patient."

"Shut up."

 

**✧**

 

Hope zones out pretty soon after the sorting begins, mostly because it's boring and she doesn't really care which houses these kids go into. Penelope, who's standing behind her, seems to be doing pretty much the same thing. Neither of them really focus until Hope's name is called, and then Penelope is giving her a cheeky grin before pushing her forward to start her on her journey toward the little stool up at the front of the hall.

Hope refuses to make eye contact with anyone as she walks, acutely aware of how the mindless chatter that had floated around the tables has now all but vanished as everyone watches the Hat descend over her head.

_"Ah, here you are. I was wondering when it would be your turn."_

The voice reverberates around her skull, and Hope rolls her eyes, even though she knows no one can see her right now.

_"Oh, impatient are we? That's alright, I know exactly where to put you."_

Now that catches Hope off-guard, because she's spent months trying to figure out which house she belongs in, and going down that rabbit hole usually ends in an existential crisis that she's far too young to have. There's no way the Hat just knows immediately, not with the family history she's had.

It is apparently the case though, because the Hat isn't talking to her anymore, and Hope knows that means it's gearing up to announce its choice to the whole hall. She sighs, ready to accept her fate, whatever it is.

 _"Don't overlook your own potential, I can see it quite clearly. That's why you're in_ GRYFFINDOR!"

Hope blinks in the sudden light as the Hat is lifted from her head. She's quickly ushered off the stool and left to wander dazedly over to the Gryffindor table, in search of an empty seat. Faint, scattered applause follows her as she goes, and a few of the older Gryffindor kids even mutter quiet welcomes as she ambles past.

By the time she's properly settled, they've made quite a dent in the line of kids that still haven't been sorted, and when Hope finally manages to look back up, it's Penelope's turn.

The entire hall seems to be holding its breath as the Hat drops over her head, and there's a long, tense moment before it pulls its features into what Hope assumes is an approximation of a grin.

"SLYTHERIN!"

A smattering of polite applause starts to ring out, but even Hope can hear the apprehension behind it, the quiet tension that starts to settle around the room. It's as if everyone is waiting for Penelope to start throwing jinxes around, even though she's given them no indication that she's even thinking about that.

Hope sits up taller, gaze wandering over to the Slytherin table until she finds Penelope, who's right near the end, staring resolutely down at her plate. She must feel Hope's eyes on her, because after a second she shifts, turning so that she can look over toward the Gryffindors.

There's something in her expression that Hope can recognise, even from so far away, something both sad and knowing at the same time. In that moment, Hope realizes that they really aren't so different. Loneliness and grief are, after all, two sides of the same coin.

Still, there's nothing she can do right now but offer Penelope a subtle thumbs up and hope that it'll be enough.

From the way Penelope grins back at her, it looks like they'll both be okay, if only for the night.

Sometimes, that's as much as Hope can ask for.

 

**✧**

 

In all the emotional upheaval of the evening, Hope almost forgets that she's made a bet with Penelope.

She only remembers when she realizes that she's lost.

Because the only thing that could derail the train of gossip that's chugging around the hall right now is the Saltzman twins getting sorted, and then getting split up.

Hope thinks she hears a collective gasp when Josie gets put in Slytherin, and then an actual vocalized denial when Lizzie is put in Gryffindor.

Still, she doesn't think anyone is more surprised than the twins themselves.

Lizzie sits down not too far from her, and Hope can almost hear the gears in her mind spinning at top speed, trying to figure out how this has happened.

Honestly, the proper explanation is probably the simplest one. Just because they're twins doesn't mean they're the same person. Hope thinks that they really should've been more prepared for this outcome.

Even so, she can't help but feel a little sorry for Lizzie, who looks like her entire world has just collapsed around her.

Hope glances over at the Slytherin table, wanting to see if the other twin is doing better, and can't help but laugh at the sight that greets her. Josie, who looks like she might actually be having a breakdown, has chosen to sit next to Penelope, who looks entirely out of her depth, hands hovering in the air as she tries to comfort the other girl.

At the very least, her ridiculous antics seem to be making Josie laugh, and Hope's glad that at least one of them is having a bit of luck.

Back on the Gryffindor table, Lizzie genuinely looks like she's ready to bite the head off of anyone who tries to talk to her, and Hope isn't about to volunteer.

Luckily for everyone, it's in this moment that the Sorting draws to an end, and with a clap of his hands, Dumbledore signals the start of dinner. The quiet murmuring in the hall quickly crescendos into the chatter of hungry students, and Hope busies herself with filling her plate.

Lunch feels like a million years ago, and if she's going to try and reach out to Lizzie Saltzman, she should definitely eat up.

 

**✧**

 

They're halfway through dessert when someone taps her on the shoulder, and Hope turns to find Penelope grinning at her.

"Pay up," she says, extending a hand.

Hope rolls her eyes, but she digs into her robes anyway, unearthing a handful of coins and shoving them at Penelope.

"I know it's not five galleons, just ask me for the rest later."

Penelope pockets the money, then drops onto the bench next to Hope, reaching over to grab one of her chocolate éclairs.

"Hey!"

"Tax," Penelope says, after swallowing her mouthful of pastry. "And there's plenty more on the plate in front of you, stop complaining."

Hope continues to grumble incoherently, if only to keep up the façade of being mad about it, as she reaches to pick up another éclair.

While she's chewing, Penelope leans in close, lowers her voice and asks, "Did the other Saltzman also seem a bit shaken up about being separated?"

"Yeah," Hope says quietly, eyes darting around to make sure no one's listening in. On the other side of the table, Lizzie is currently talking to Josie, who had apparently followed Penelope over, and everyone else is busy with their own conversations, so she deems it safe to continue. "I was going to talk to her about it, but she seemed really mad so I decided not to."

Penelope hums in acknowledgement, and when she next speaks the words come slowly, as if she's thinking them over carefully. "They've … never really been apart before, have they?"

Hope shakes her head. "Probably not, you know how it is."

"Yeah," Penelope says. "I think everyone does."

And it's more true than not, even though the Saltzman twins have never been as big a household name as Hope herself has. Their story had been splashed all over the Daily Prophet, dozens of articles about how the Forbes family had taken them in after their mother had died in the war. The reporters had gone wild with speculation, wondering why such a highly regarded pureblood family would adopt some nameless half-blood kids.

Hope doesn't know the ins and outs of it, but it's none of her business anyway.

What she does understand is the feeling of having her entire life laid bare for the world to see, of having her grief stolen from her before she could even process it.

There had been a time, not too long ago, when she'd considered reaching out, but had thought better of it. She doesn't really have the right to offer any sympathy, after all, not when her own father is the reason why the Saltzman twins will never know their birth mother.

But there is no denying the fact that they are all children of tragedy, living in a world that the war had left behind. Hope has known loneliness all her life, would wager that Penelope knows it too, and she would never wish the same upon anyone else.

At the very least, the Saltzman twins had had each other, and Hope understands, even in an arbitrary way, why being separated now must feel like losing a limb.

"You think we should look out for them?"

Penelope's gaze is set on the twins, lips pulled into a slight frown as if she's contemplating her own question. After a while she turns back to Hope, waiting for an answer.

"Lizzie wouldn't appreciate that, but yeah. I think we should."

"You should try and be subtle about it."

Hope huffs, crossing her arms. "And what about you?"

"I'm just going to make a guess and say that Josie is going to be a bit more receptive to being looked out for than her sister is."

"She's probably terrified of you," Hope says, though the grin slips off her face when all Penelope does is shrug in agreement, seeming to fold back in on herself,  like she'd done back on the train.

"Yeah, just like everyone else."

Hope takes a moment to mentally berate herself for never thinking before she speaks, then reaches to shove Penelope on the shoulder lightly. "So what?" she asks, waiting for the other girl to look up before continuing. "Everyone thinks I'm going to go crazy and kill them all."

Penelope grins ruefully, but shoves back, which Hope accepts with a laugh.

"Careful there, Mikaelson. If I didn't know any better, I'd say we're starting to become friends."

"I think I can handle that."

Whatever Penelope's about to say is cut off when Dumbledore claps his hands and announces that it's time for them to go to bed. Hope pulls her new friend into a quick hug, then pushes her in the direction of the Slytherin table.

Penelope rolls her eyes, but wishes Hope a quiet goodnight before turning to leave. For a moment, she doesn't move, but then Josie appears by her side and they melt into the crowd together.

Hope's pretty sure that they're going to spend the entire trek down to the dungeons in almost complete silence, but having quiet company is always better than having none at all.

When it's the Gryffindors' turn to leave, Hope makes sure to trail behind Lizzie, just to keep an eye on her, in case she accidentally wanders off because she's too lost in her thoughts to follow the crowd.

It's the least she can do, all things considered, and looking out for each other is important. Hostility breeds violence, and they've all had enough of that to last at least a dozen lifetimes.

Hope doesn't need any more blood on her hands.

 

**✧**

 

The thing about Hogwarts is that, for a large part of the year, it is home to very many people. Hope has come to realize that for every person who leaves her alone, there will be one who insists on making sure she knows exactly what they think of her.

It's nothing she isn't used to, having grown up under the weight of her father's mistakes, but sometimes she wishes she could just make everything go away. Because the reporters from the Daily Prophet can speculate all they want about her sanity, but there is something so much more hateful and cruel about the way she'll be stopped in the middle of the corridor just to be told that she doesn't belong at Hogwarts, and that it's only a matter of time before she goes crazy and murders everyone.

It would be easy to get angry, to prove everyone right, because that's what they all expect of her anyway. It would be easy to fight back, but Hope is only eleven years old, and she has her whole life ahead of her. One day, after all this blows over, and the world has had their fill of talking about Hope Mikaelson, she'll thank herself for sticking it out now.

Still, if she's not being heckled, then people are doing their best to avoid her, and Hope is no stranger to being alone, but she'd thought that coming to Hogwarts would've changed things, at least a little. It wouldn't be awful to have a friend or two.

"Hey, Mikaelson!"

Hope pauses in her steps, rolls her eyes even as she grins and turns around. Right, how could she possibly have forgotten about Penelope Park?

"Do you think you could've yelled any louder?" she asks, as the other girl catches up and they both start down the corridor again.

"Probably, want me to try?"

"Absolutely not."

Penelope laughs, sways so that her shoulder bumps into Hope's. "So, how're classes? I haven't seen you since Potions."

"They're fine, I guess. What about you?"

"Almost took someone's head off yesterday in Charms, but other than that it's been normal."

Hope decides not to ask because if she doesn't know anything about it, she can't be implicated. "Does Josie seem better? You've been keeping tabs, right?"

"Yeah, she's getting there." Penelope shrugs, though she does pause as if she's considering her next words very carefully. "I think she's just scared of being alone."

And oh, Hope thinks they've all been there. She's had to learn to be okay with isolation, to find comfort in herself, and she doesn't know much about Penelope's childhood but she's willing to bet that the other girl had gone through pretty much the exact same thing.

Josie has always had her sister, so this adjustment must be difficult for her, especially since she's just been dropped into an entirely new environment as well.

"And you're taking care of her?"

"She can take care of herself," Penelope says, sounding almost offended on Josie's behalf. "But I'm around, sort of. I think we might be friends? I'm not sure, but we sit together in class and stuff. Mostly I'm just reminding her that she doesn't need to stick her neck out for every random stranger who asks for help."

"Well, at least you sound like you're having fun."

"Lizzie still giving you a hard time?

"Not really, but that's because we don't talk."

In fact, Hope thinks they've exchanged a grand total of six words, which is impressive considering they share all of their classes and also a dorm room.

"Still afraid she'll bite your head off?"

"I'm not afraid of her, but she actually seems like she's getting better."

"Really? Good for her, I guess," Penelope says, sounding like she really means it. "I think they just have to get used to not being glued at the hip anymore."

Hope has her mouth open around an answer when another voice cuts her off. She almost turns to see who it is, but stops herself just in time. It's another one of those groups of kids who like to yell at her as she walks past. Usually, if she doesn't respond, they'll just leave her be.

"Hey, Mikaelson! How long until you go crazy? Does the insane gene run in the family?"

She keeps walking, head held high, but is pulled to a stop by Penelope, who now has a hand around her elbow.

"Hope, they're talking about you."

"I know."

"They're not saying nice things."

Hope sighs, tries to tug Penelope along. "I know."

Penelope refuses to budge, plants her feet on the ground and just stares at Hope like she's waiting for something. When whatever it is doesn't happen, her expression shifts, confusion melting into determination.

"No, stop. I don't know what you're thinking but don't do it." Hope reaches out to pull on her friend's shoulder. "Come on, let's just go."

The end of her sentence is drowned out by yet another jab at her questionable sanity, and before Hope can even wince at the words, Penelope is spinning around, arm flying out in front of her.

The pulse of energy that surges out in front of them is so strong that Hope can feel it from where she's standing. All of a sudden, the group of boys that had been taunting her are flying down the corridor, and by the time Hope realizes what's happened, they're already lying winded at the other end.

"Penelope!"

"What?" The girl in question turns, a smug grin dancing across her face. "They deserved it."

"You're going to get detention for that."

"So?" Penelope shrugs, as if it's neither here nor there that they've only been here two weeks and she's already managed to get into trouble. "It was worth it."

And that makes Hope stop, the gears in her mind screeching to a halt as she tries to digest the situation. Because Penelope is standing there, eyes bright with glee, essentially saying that standing up for Hope is worth the detention she's almost definitely going to get, and Hope has no idea at all how to feel.

She's saved from having to respond when Professor McGonagall comes striding around the corner, taking one look at the boys who are still on the ground before walking up to the both of them.

"I suppose you know that actions likes these warrant a detention."

Penelope, who already looks bored, just nods. "Yeah, sure. Just give me a time and place."

"She meant us." Hope takes a step forward, ignoring Penelope's bewildered glance as she stands next to her friend. "Give us a time and place, we both did it."

Professor McGonagall regards her for a moment, then nods, though Hope thinks she catches the hint of a smile before it vanishes.

"Very well, then. You'll both clean the trophy room tonight," she says. "No magic. Report there at eight o' clock, Mr Filch will collect your wands."

"Sure thing, Professor." Hope smiles winningly, hooking her arm around Penelope's and starting to walk away before the other girl can say something that'll earn her a second detention before she even serves the first. "We'll be there! See you around!"

She marches them down the hall and around the corner before Penelope digs her heels in, stopping them from going any further.

"What was that?"

Hope falls against the wall with a huff, closing her eyes. "What was what?"

"You know what." Penelope leans next to her, close enough that their shoulders touch. "Why'd you take the detention too?"

It's a good question, mostly because Hope doesn't know the answer either. She just sighs, keeping her eyes closed even though she knows Penelope is looking at her.

"I don't know. Why did you attack those boys?"

"I did no such thing, it was clearly an accident."

Hope lets the silence sit between them for a few more moments before replying. "Thank you," she says, turning to look Penelope in the eye. "No one's ever stuck up for me like that before."

"It's whatever." Penelope turns away with a shrug, staring across at the opposite wall. "You're my friend, and they were being nasty."

She says it so nonchalantly, like she would do it all again if given the chance, that Hope can't help but smile. It's always been her against the world, but maybe letting someone in wouldn't be such a bad idea, even if that someone is Penelope Park.

"Come on, let's go get something to eat. We'll be up all night cleaning trophies, and I'll definitely get hungry at some point."

Penelope lets herself get tugged along, falling into step next to Hope and bumping shoulders with her. "I told Josie I'd sit with her, and I'm pretty sure Lizzie's going to be at the Slytherin table too. You should ditch the Gryffindors and come hang with us."

"Oh, you think so?"

"Yeah, we're definitely more fun."

Hope laughs, stuffs her hands into the pockets of her robes. "I guess I'll have to sit with you then."

"Good choice!"

Penelope slows to a halt as they reach the doors to the Great Hall, reaches out to wrap a hand around Hope's elbow to stop her from walking in.

"Hey, just for the record, I don't think you're crazy."

"You- what?"

"I don't think you're crazy," Penelope says, gaze darting to the ground for a second before she squares her shoulders and meets Hope's eyes, lips pulling into a genuine smile. "Maybe a little messed up, but that's all of us."

Hope looks at Penelope, sees a girl who is just as young, and just as lonely, as she is, and thinks that maybe they've been on their own for a little too long. Maybe it's time to pull down some of the walls they've built and start opening their hearts again.

Maybe this is the first step.

"Thank you." Hope smiles back, letting the happiness reach her eyes. "You know what? I don't think you're very scary at all."

Penelope scoffs, though the action is softened by the giant grin she's wearing. She takes a step back, using the hand that's still on Hope's elbow to pull her along as well. "Okay, I'm starving. Come on, Mikaelson, you're slowing me down."

Hope toddles along, happy to follow someone else's lead for once. "Right behind you, Park."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, what's this? I'm back on my bullshit once again! This was mostly just to establish how the girls orbited into each other's stratospheres, and also a way for me to provide some backstory for them all, we love friendship! But I know we also love romance, which is what the second part is going to be about. It's already written, so I'll pop it up in a bit!
> 
> In the meanwhile, you can find me on Twitter [@scorpiowaltz](http://twitter.com/scorpiowaltz) and on Tumblr [@softpluto](http://taylorswift.co.vu/) if you want to let me know what you think!


	2. let our cuts and bruises heal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is mentioned towards the end, but just for context, they're all in their fourth year during this chapter.

Penelope is throwing pieces of toast into the lake for the Giant Squid, and giving a running commentary on her day even though she's sure he can't understand her, when someone yanks on her elbow, hard, and she almost falls backwards.  
  
As it is, she stumbles into her assailant, pushing an annoyed huff out of them as they steady her.  
  
"Woah, you good? Can't have you falling for me, I'll just break your heart."  
  
Penelope dusts off her robes, turning to greet Lizzie with a crooked grin. "Can't break what I don't have."  
  
Lizzie laughs, rolls her eyes and accepts the high-five that Penelope offers. "Well, pretend you have one for a moment, because I have a question for you."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"I didn't actually think of asking you, but Josie suggested it."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"And you might-"  
  
"Just ask the question, Lizzie."  
  
"Do you know if Hope likes me?"  
  
Penelope blinks, tries not to let her surprise show on her face. "Interesting question, why the sudden curiosity?"  
  
"Oh, stop being an asshole and just tell me."  
  
"Why are you assuming that I know? Maybe I'm just as in the dark as you are."  
  
"You're her best friend."  
  
"Doesn't mean we talk about this stuff."  
  
That's a lie, Penelope has had various long conversations with Hope about whether or not Lizzie likes her back. Frankly, it's been getting rather boring. The fact that Lizzie is now playing an active role in the whole thing has made the situation exponentially more interesting.  
  
"So you don't know?"  
  
"I didn't say that."  
  
"Penelope!"  
  
"Look, even if I did know, I'm pretty sure telling you anything would go against the best friend code."  
  
Lizzie sighs, shoulders falling as she slumps forward. "Great, well, guess I'm back at square one now."  
  
Penelope raises a single eyebrow, reaches out to push the other girl gently and laughs as she sways back and forth. "Why are you so interested? Do you like her?"  
  
"What do you think? Of course I do! But she's impossible to read, and Josie's sick of me talking about it all the time, and-"  
  
"I can help."  
  
Lizzie stops, gaze darting upwards to settle on Penelope's impassive expression. "What do you mean?"  
  
Penelope shrugs, dusting off her hands as she lobs the last bit of toast into the lake, waving at the Giant Squid as he goes back under. "You like Hope, she's my best friend, I can help you figure out what to do next."  
  
"But you can't tell me if she likes me."  
  
"Yeah, because that goes against best friend code. I can, however, nudge you in the right direction." Penelope grins, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her robes as she turns around. "You like her?"  
  
"Yeah," Lizzie says, looking as serious as she's ever been. "I really do."  
  
"Great, we can start there."

  
  
**✧**

  
  
Penelope leaves Lizzie to ruminate by the lake, heading back to the dungeons in hopes of getting a quick nap in before her next class. She finds Josie in her usual chair by the fire, and all thoughts of falling asleep are brushed aside by the desire to share the new gossip she's acquired.  
  
"Jojo, you wouldn't believe what just happened to me."  
  
"Hello to you too, Pen." Josie's smiling, backlit magnificently in the firelight. "What just happened to you?"  
  
"I was out by the lake throwing toast to the Giant Squid and Lizzie came up to me to ask if Hope likes her."  
  
"What? No way, she actually asked?"  
  
"Oh yeah, she told me it was your idea, I totally forgot." Penelope climbs over the chair, flipping herself upside down and dangling most of her body over the back of it so that her head is next to Josie's. "Anyway, I didn't give her a proper answer, because of best friend code, and then I asked if she likes Hope."  
  
Josie shifts to fully face Penelope, eyes wide in anticipation. "And? What did she say?"  
  
Penelope pauses, purely for dramatic effect, then grins. "I didn't expect it at all, but she said yes, so now I'm going to milk it for as long as possible."  
  
"Oh? How so?"  
  
"Well, we all know that Hope likes her back."  
  
"Yeah, that's common knowledge at this point."  
  
"I told Lizzie that I'll help her with Hope, so if you tell Hope that you'll help her with Lizzie-"  
  
"That'll be meddling," Josie says, cutting Penelope off, and her voice is stern, but her eyes are bright. "Maybe they just need some time to figure it out."  
  
"They've had half the year already, and it's not meddling! We're helping them, Jojo. It's like charity work."  
  
"I don't know how I feel about that metaphor, but fine. It'll be fun to watch, if nothing else."  
  
"That's right! I always knew you were the smarter twin." Penelope laughs, dodging to the side as Josie tries to flatten cold hands over her face. "Hey! That was a compliment!"  
  
"Stop being a fool for one second," Josie says, "and come down here." The moment the words leave her mouth, she reaches forward and pulls. Penelope yelps, sliding down the back of the chair, almost falling straight off and onto the ground.  
  
Josie hoists her up at the last second, and she twists so that her legs are now hanging off the side, her head in Josie's lap.  
  
"Okay, remind me to check near-death experience off my bucket list."  
  
"You are the most dramatic person I know."  
  
"Incorrect! You know Lizzie."  
  
Josie opens her mouth, closes it, then sighs as she shakes her head. "I really cannot say that you are wrong."  
  
Penelope grins, then closes her eyes. "I'm going to take a nap before class."  
  
"Right here?" Josie asks, even as she shifts so that they can both get comfortable.  
  
Penelope hums in affirmation. "Right here," she says, turning onto her side and snuggling closer.  
  
Josie cards gentle fingers through her hair, smiles fondly down at her even though Penelope can't see it anymore. "Okay."

 

**✧**

 

Lizzie confronts her after class, hooking an arm around hers and tugging the both of them into an empty classroom.  
  
Penelope tries to ask Josie for help, but the other girl just laughs and waves before disappearing into the crowd.  
  
"That was stone cold, I didn't deserve that."  
  
"We can talk about what you deserve later, right now you're helping me." Lizzie marches Penelope up to the front of the room, leaving her in front of the blackboard before taking a seat in the front row. "So, what's the plan?"  
  
Penelope picks up a piece of chalk and writes Hope's name in big capital letters across the board, then turns around, frowning when it seems like Lizzie's waiting for an answer. "Sorry, what?"  
  
Lizzie looks at her in stunned disbelief. "Are you actually going to help me?"  
  
"Of course." Penelope throws the chalk over her shoulder, dusting her hands off as it lands perfectly on the ledge of the blackboard. "So, just to confirm, you like Hope."  
  
"Yes, we've been over this. It's the only reason I'm here right now."  
  
"Oh, is my amazing company not good enough for you?"  
  
Lizzie rolls her eyes even as an amused grin flickers across her face. "Shut up, Park. Just tell me how to get the girl."  
  
"Alright, I hope you've braced yourself, because my amazing advice is about to blow you away."

  
  
**✧**

  
  
"Wait, hold on. What did you tell her?"  
  
It really is a testament to how much Penelope is enjoying this that she isn't annoyed about having to repeat herself. Although, that might just be because she's talking to Josie.  
  
"I told her that if she likes Hope, she has to show her."  
  
Josie pauses, spoonful of mashed potato halfway to her mouth. "Show her?"  
  
"I basically convinced your sister to take Hope out on a date."  
  
"But neither of them know it’s a date?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Just out of curiosity, how long do you think you can pull this off?"  
  
Penelope puts her fork down, dropping her chin into her hand. "Well, something like this would normally last three days, but it's Hope and Lizzie, so I'm thinking maybe a month or so."  
  
"A month?"  
  
"You're right, more like three months."  
  
Josie throws a spoon at her, then gasps when it vanishes into a kaleidoscope of butterflies. Penelope laughs, watching as they flutter away, disappearing through the door that leads to the Quidditch pitch.  
  
"I'm top of the class in Transfiguration," she says, in response to Josie's stunned silence.  
  
"You're top of the class in everything." Josie pouts down at her plate. "Now I can't finish my potatoes."  
  
Penelope doesn't know whether to laugh or sympathise. "I can get you another spoon?"  
  
Josie has never looked more like a sad puppy than in this very moment. "Could you, please?"  
  
"Yeah, of course." Penelope wordlessly summons the closest spoon, pays no attention to the fact that it almost takes someone's head off on its way to her hand. "Here you go."  
  
"Thank you!" Josie smiles, bright and sunny, before going back to her mashed potatoes.  
  
"No problem," Penelope says slowly. She's not quite sure what's just happened, but Josie is happy, so it can't have been anything bad. "Anyway, have you talked to Hope yet?"  
  
"No, but I probably will soon. If Lizzie's going to ask her out, then I'm pretty sure she's going to need someone to coach her through everything."  
  
"Why do I have the feeling that she's not going to come to me?"  
  
Josie levels a look at her. "Pen, you're very smart, and very pretty, but comfort isn't really your thing."  
  
"I comfort you all the time!" Penelope exclaims, trying not to visibly lose it over the fact that Josie's just said she's pretty.  
  
"Yeah, but we're special," Josie says, before eating another mouthful of mashed potatoes, as if her words haven't just caused Penelope's heart to start beating in double time. "So, I'll convince Hope to relax and enjoy herself, then what?"  
  
"Uh, wait for them to get back, then ask her if it was good." Penelope picks up her own fork again, spearing a baby carrot and popping it into her mouth. "When she says yes, suggest that she do something to thank Lizzie for the fun time."  
  
Josie looks up slowly, and Penelope watches gleefully as the realization dawns over her features. "She'll plan a date of her own, and then-"  
  
"Lizzie will want to thank her, which means-"  
  
"Hope will just plan another date, and they'll just keep going back and forth-"  
  
"Trying to one-up each other, and by the time they realize what's happening-"  
  
"They're practically already dating," Josie finishes, a grin stretching wide across her face. "Should I feel bad for thinking this is funny?"  
  
"Well, I planned the whole thing, so if anyone should feel bad, it's me."  
  
"You don't feel bad in the slightest."  
  
"No, I really don't." Penelope points her fork across the table. "So, you in?"  
  
Josie rolls her eyes, but the grin is still bright on her face. "Yeah, I'm in."  
  
"Yes! Alright, let's go dream team!"  
  
"Are we the dream team?"  
  
"Yes, we're the dream team."  
  
"Okay, cool. Just checking."

  
  
**✧**

  
  
It's another week and a half before Hope charges into the Slytherin common room, pushing Penelope's half-finished Charms essay off the table and sitting down in the newly vacant space.  
  
"Hello? That was my homework."  
  
"Redo it, I need your help."  
  
Penelope looks down at the ground next to her, where her overturned inkwell is now emptying itself out onto her essay, then puts her quill down in acceptance of the fact that she probably will have to rewrite it. She leans back in her seat, props her chair up on its back legs, and crosses her arms. "With what, exactly?"  
  
"Lizzie keeps planning super fun stuff for us to do, and she's being really sweet, which is very nice, but now it's my turn and I've run out of ideas."  
  
"You want me to help you plan a date?"  
  
"What?" Hope kicks her legs out, almost smacking Penelope in the face with the bottoms of her shoes. "No, it's not a date. I just want to come up with something fun for the both of us to do."  
  
Penelope waits, wanting to see if Hope will realize that she's essentially just described a date. When it doesn't happen, she lets her chair crash back to the floor, leaning forward to pull at the laces on her best friend's sneakers.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"You literally destroyed my essay." Penelope tugs one of Hope's shoes off of her foot, throws it across the room. "Anyway, what have you already done?"  
  
Hope looks forlornly at her shoe as it flies away, landing right next to the fireplace, then she sighs and turns back. "Well, we've been to Hogsmeade, and had a picnic out by the lake. I showed her how to get into Requirement and we visited her childhood bedroom."  
  
Penelope pulls Hope's other shoe off, throwing it in the other direction.  
  
"What was that for!"  
  
"You know, for someone who's actually really smart, you can be kind of a dumbass."  
  
"You're the dumbass," Hope shoots back, then seems to actually hear what Penelope has said and backtracks. "Wait, why?"  
  
"Don't worry about it." Penelope waves a hand through the air dismissively. "Have you showed Lizzie your room yet?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You visited her room, right? Show her yours, pack some snacks, hang out there for an afternoon."  
  
"Do you think she'd like that?"  
  
If Hope had another shoe, Penelope would've ripped it off her foot and thrown it straight into the fire. As it is, all she has left are her mismatched socks, and Penelope wills herself to remember that patience is a virtue.  
  
"Yes, I think she would enjoy it very much."  
  
"Okay, yeah! Cool!" Hope stands up, trips over her robes as she walks backwards, in the direction of the entrance to the common room. "Thanks, Pen!"  
  
"You're welcome." Penelope leans down to pick up her ink-stained parchment, scrunches it into a ball and tosses it into the fire. "Put your shoes on before you go."  
  
"Oh, right." Both sneakers rush past Penelope's head as Hope summons them from where she is. "Thanks again!"  
  
Penelope, who's already busy with rewriting her Charms essay, waves without looking up. "Tell me how it goes."  
  
"Okay!"

  
  
**✧**

  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
The sudden voice startles her, and Penelope jumps, slamming her hand against the wall. The resounding crack is so loud that, for a moment, she forgets about the pain and just stares at her fingers in shock.  
  
Josie's by her side in the next instant, brows furrowed in concern. "Are you okay?"  
  
Penelope shakes her hand out, hopping from foot to foot as she exhales a steady stream of breath. "I'm fine," she says, cracking a smile to assuage Josie's anxiety. "How was Divination?"  
  
"It was normal." Josie shrugs, then glances at the wall again. "What were you doing before I walked in?"  
  
"Trying to get my Exploding Snap cards back." Penelope points a thumb back at the stretch of rock next to the fireplace, right next to Josie's favourite armchair. "Some kids asked to borrow my deck, and apparently everyone got really angry."  
  
Sure enough, when Josie looks closer, she sees about half of Penelope's cards lodged right into the rock  
  
"Summoning doesn't work, and I don't want to blast a hole through the common room, so I've just been pulling at them."  
  
"Who were the kids?"  
  
"Some second-years, I don't really know them. They said they were sorry, and it was probably an accident, so I told them it was okay and I'd get the cards back myself." Penelope grips onto the queen of diamonds, gives an almighty tug. When it actually comes free she stumbles backwards, right into Josie's waiting arms. "Got it!"  
  
Josie props her back upright, and when Penelope turns to triumphantly show her the card, all she does is smile silently.  
  
"Everything okay, Jojo?"  
  
The question seems to snap Josie out of whatever trance she'd fallen into. "Yeah, I'm fine." She grins again, brighter this time. "You're actually really sweet, you know that?"  
  
Penelope stares down at the card in her hands, trying very hard not to flush, knowing that the firelight will just accentuate the pink of her cheeks. "No, I absolutely do not."  
  
Josie laughs, tugs at her arm until they both fall into the chair, squished side by side. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about, there's nothing to tell."  
  
"Sure, whatever you say." Josie wraps her arms around Penelope's waist, head falling to rest on her shoulder. "It's my turn to nap," she says, around the yawn that builds in her throat.  
  
"We have Defence in forty minutes."  
  
"Wake me up when we have to go."  
  
Penelope drops a kiss to the top of Josie's head, mutters a spell so that the fire burns just a little hotter for the moment. "Sure thing, Jojo."

 

**✧**

 

The minute Lizzie clues in to what's actually happening, Penelope finds herself back in that classroom, except this time she's the one sitting down in the front row.  
  
"You knew what was happening!"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"You planned all this! You knew what we were doing!"  
  
Penelope props an elbow on the table in front of her, resting her chin in her hand. "And what were you doing?"  
  
"We've been going on dates this whole time!"  
  
"You know, for someone who wanted this to happen, you sound very angry about it."  
  
Lizzie throws her hands in the air, starts pacing in front of the blackboard. "Because you tricked us! I thought you were helping me!"  
  
"I did help you." Penelope stands, walks forward to impede Lizzie's path so that the other girl is forced to stop and look at her. "The plan worked, you have a girlfriend now."  
  
Lizzie blinks, as if she's just now realizing that fact. "I …. I guess you're right?"  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
"I didn't thank you."  
  
Penelope laughs, rolls her eyes as Lizzie tries to find other reasons to be annoyed. "Congrats," she says. "It's about time you stopped dancing around each other."  
  
"We would've spent less time dancing around each other if you hadn't tricked us into dating."  
  
"Agree to disagree." Penelope shrugs, before the smile falls off her face. "I'm glad you guys worked everything out, but I hope you know that if you hurt her, I will not hesitate to separate your skull from your body."  
  
Lizzie meets her eyes, nods once. "I know."  
  
The grin returns to Penelope's face. "Great! Now if you excuse me, I told Josie I'd meet her in the library to go over our Potions homework."  
  
"Hey, wait. Before you go."  
  
Penelope turns back, hands already in the pockets of her robes. "Yeah?"  
  
"I've got a question for you, but you don't have to answer if you don't want to."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Do you like Josie?"  
  
And, the thing is, Penelope could be flippant here, could say of course she likes Josie, they're best friends, but they both know that's not what Lizzie is asking.  
  
Besides, it's about time she stops lying to herself about it.  
  
"Yes, but I know she doesn't feel the same way."  
  
Lizzie considers her for a moment, then says, "Give it a while."  
  
"Give- what?"  
  
"Josie tends to focus too much on the details, so she misses the big picture a lot," Lizzie explains. "Just … be patient. Wait for her."  
  
If this were anyone else, Penelope would've left the room already. She's never taken too kindly to receiving instructions, mostly because she knows she can always come up with an easier, better way to go about the situation. But it's not anyone else, and Lizzie has always known her sister best.  
  
The two of them will never see eye to eye on everything, but Penelope trusts Lizzie enough to know that the other girl wouldn't steer her wrong on something this important.  
  
"Okay," she says. "I'll wait."  
  
Lizzie nods, satisfied. "Good, now get going before you're late to meet my sister."  
  
Penelope rolls her eyes before turning to leave, tosses a wave over her shoulder as she goes. "See you later, Saltzman."  
  
"Don't hold your breath, Park."

 

**✧**

 

Penelope is on her way back from the kitchens, arms laden with enough snacks to feed a small country, when she pretty much walks right into Hope.  
  
"Woah, watch it!" Hope sidesteps, eyes lighting with recognition when Penelope leans out from behind her armful of food. "Oh, hey Pen! Didn't see you there, why do you have so many custard tarts?"  
  
"Josie and I missed dinner because we lost track of time in the library."  
  
"Oh, yeah, we were wondering where you guys were. Lizzie said you were doing homework so we didn't come looking."  
  
There's an apology in Hope's voice that doesn't need to be there, so Penelope smiles, tries to convey that there's nothing to be sorry for.  
  
"Yeah, we figured. It's fine, we'll just eat now." She shifts, tries not to drop everything she's holding. "Mind giving me a hand?"  
  
Hope steps forward immediately, reliving Penelope of half her load. "This is way more food than the two of you need."  
  
"We like to leave some out on the table, just in case other kids come in late."  
  
Penelope doesn't usually make a habit out of sneaking snacks from the kitchens, mostly because Josie likes to make sure she isn't forgetting to eat.  
  
When they both accidentally miss a meal, she'll come downstairs and grab leftovers to tote back to the common room, and more often than not there are other people there who are hungry too.  
  
They are Slytherins, after all, and Slytherins will always take care of their own.  
  
"So, how was dinner?"  
  
"Fine? Normal, I guess. You guys weren't there, so Lizzie and I sat at the Gryffindor table for once."  
  
Penelope swerves to avoid a suit of armour, almost crashes down the stairs but rights herself just in time. "Wow, I almost died! Anyway, how's that going, then?"  
  
"How's what going?"  
  
"Uh, the fact that you have a girlfriend now?"  
  
Penelope can't see her, but she's pretty sure Hope is blushing furiously right now.  
  
"It's … good? I mean, technically I'm supposed to be mad at you for tricking us, but it worked."  
  
"You're right! Lizzie can be mad at me all she wants, but she can't deny that it worked."  
  
"Josie was totally in on it, wasn't she?"  
  
"Oh, yeah. Don't tell Lizzie about that part."  
  
Hope laughs. "Yeah, I think we're all going to keep our mouths shut about that one."  
  
They make it to the Slytherin common room without any further altercations, and Penelope mutters the password to let them both in so they can put all the food down on one of the tables.  
  
"Thanks for that, want a custard tart for the walk back?"  
  
Hope takes it, puts the whole thing in her mouth, then gives Penelope a crumbly grin and a shaky thumbs up. "See you tomorrow, Pen," she says, except her mouth is full, so she just ends up sounding like a seal.  
  
Penelope gets the general gist. "Goodnight, Hope. Sleep well."  
  
Hope leaves, humming quietly to herself as she goes, and Penelope turns to see Josie emerging from the door that leads to their dorms.  
  
"Hey, Jojo."  
  
Josie pads forward quietly, smiling as she steps close enough to be bathed in firelight. In the semi-dark, her brown eyes are torched to a molten gold, and Penelope thinks, not for the first time, that she would do absolutely anything for this girl.  
  
"Hi, Pen."  
  
"Have you picked out a book yet?"  
  
"Yep, got it right here." Josie holds the book up, then reaches with her other hand to tug Penelope closer to the fireplace. "Come on."  
  
Penelope follows willingly, grabbing a box of custard tarts before she goes.  
  
She's always secretly loved it when they miss dinner, because it means that she'll get to have moments like these, where they sit by the fire, Josie's head in her lap as Penelope reads quietly from a book.  
  
Tonight, it makes her think of what Lizzie had said, of the terrifying realization that she would wait forever, as long as it's Josie she's waiting for.  
  
Because she is only fourteen, and so much of life still stretches ahead of her, but she knows, without a doubt, that she doesn't want what life has to offer unless Josie is standing right beside her.  
  
Penelope has always loved too fiercely for her own good.  
  
But Lizzie had told her to be patient, and Lizzie knows her sister best, so Penelope pushes all her worries to the back of her mind, flips to the first page of the book. "You ready, Jojo?"  
  
Josie has her eyes closed, but she's smiling when she says, "Ready."  
  
Penelope grins, takes a deep breath, and starts reading.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we have it! In the interest of being perfectly honest, this was originally only going to be about how Hope and Penelope became friends, but I couldn't resist writing everything else. Some of these scenes made me very happy, and I hope they've brought joy to you too.
> 
> I do have one more story planned for this verse, so we'll see if that actualizes itself into something that exists in our dimension.
> 
> Okay, I think that's it. Like I said, if you want to find me, I'm on Twitter [@scorpiowaltz](https://twitter.com/scorpiowaltz) and Tumblr [@softpluto](http://taylorswift.co.vu/).
> 
> Until next time, catch ya' on the flipside!

**Author's Note:**

> Main title (and chapter titles!) are from Mars by Sleeping At Last, an absolutely brilliant song that I definitely recommend.


End file.
